Ki Sung-Yeung has admitted the chance to be a winner at Wembley is the perfect reward for giving up Champions League dreams with Celtic.

Ki Sung-Yeung has admitted the chance to be a winner at Wembley is the perfect reward for giving up Champions League dreams with Celtic.

But now Swansea City’s South Korean star is aiming for Euro nights in South Wales as he eyes Capital One Cup glory.

Ki, 24, was an integral part of the Swans side that saw out their semi-final second leg tie with Chelsea to book their place in the club’s first showpiece final.

And now only Bradford City stand in the way of a first major trophy – as well as a place in European competition for the first time since 1991.

Swansea’s last venture into Europe came after their Welsh Cup win 22 years ago, meeting but not defeating Arsene Wenger’s star-studded Monaco side in the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Victory at Wembley against League Two Bradford would not only hand Swansea the iconic three-handle League Cup trophy for their Liberty cabinet, but also entry into the Europa League next season.

And it would seal a vindication for midfielder Ki,who would have been part of Celtic’s impressive Champions League campaign had he not left Parkhead in a £5.5m move last summer.

Celtic qualified from the group stages courtesy of an incredible win over Barcelona and now face Juventus for a place in the last eight.

But Ki is more concerned with where he is heading rather than what might have been, including that chance to return to Europe with his new team.

He said: “It’s an amazing feeling to get to Wembley and reach a cup final.

“We did brilliantly in both legs of the tie, especially in the second half of the second leg where we dominated the game so we’re very satisfied.

“And it will be a huge moment in my career to play at Wembley.

“It would be incredible to win and perhaps have the chance to go into the Europa League.

“I turned down the chance to stay at Celtic and play in the Champions League, so it would be a nice reward to come to Swansea and play European football next season.

“It’s always a great experience to play in competitions like the Champions League or the Europa League.

“I’ve enjoyed it in the past. It’s a big experience and I hope my team-mates get to sample it too if we win at Wembley.”

Swansea are odds-on favourites to do just that, regardless of Bradford’s superb run in the competition to date where Premier League sides Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa have been beaten by the Bantams.

And it will be fairly new territory for Swansea to enter a big game without both the underdog tag they so relish, not to mention the position as most neutral’s preferred winners.

Furthermore, Michael Laudrup has long played up the lack of experience of Swansea’s players in finals as not only a reason why this run to next month’s occasion underneath the arch is so special, but as a call for caution.

Although the divisional gap between the sides means whatever is said will not change opinion that Swansea are unlikely to ever get a better opportunity to claim a significant piece of silverware, Laudrup knows he will still need the big-game experience of the likes of Ki.

The South Korean not only featured in finals for Celtic in Scotland, but scored a 35-yard screamer to put the Bhoys on their way to success in the 2011 Scottish Cup Final.

Yet, while Ki would love a repeat scenario, he too is wary of counting chickens against the Bantams.

Speaking having turned 24 the day after the Chelsea second-leg draw that sealed a 2-0 aggregate win, he said: “To get through was a massive present for me – it gives me this huge opportunity to play at Wembley.

“And I am looking forward to playing in another final after playing for Celtic in the Scottish Cup and winning the game.

“It would be nice to do the same thing again because it will be a fantastic occasion.

“We want to win the game, but we have to be careful against Bradford.

“It won’t be an easy game because they have already beaten three Premier League teams, so we won’t take them lightly.

“But we know if we win the final it will be huge for everyone. The club, the fans, the players and me.

“We will try our very best to win the League Cup, we have done very well this season and I hope we can keep it going.”

First and foremost, though, is Tuesday’s trip to Sunderland with Swansea able to rest bodies and minds following their draining midweek exertions this weekend because of their FA Cup exit to Arsenal.

It is well-timed for Ki, who took a heavy knock to the ankle courtesy of a Ramires first-half challenge and will hope to shake off any after-effects in time for the trip north.

The clash will again bring into focus the future of striker Danny Graham, wanted by Sunderland but blocked from leaving the Liberty unless Laudrup lands the striker he wants.

And with no movement as yet for Stoke’s Kenwyne Jones – who was yesterday linked with an unnamed Turkish club – Swansea won’t leave themselves short to simply help Graham on his way.

Three players were confirmed to have left the Liberty on loan. Jazz Richards has joined Crystal Palace until May, Leroy Lita moves to Dave Jones’ Sheffield Wednesday on loan for the remainder of the season and Daniel Alfei has extended his loan to Wrexham to take up the rest of the campaign.

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